Signature stacker and transfer device for printing press outfeed



April 28, 1959 o. KILE ET Al.` 2,884,246

SIGNATURE STACKER AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS OUTFEED Filed March 22, 1957 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 zNvENToRs.

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SIGNATURE sTAcxER AND TRANSFER DEVICE EoR PRINTING RREss OUTEEED Filed March 22. 1957' 17 sheets-sheet 2 INYENTORS.

SIGNATURE STACKER ANDY. TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS OUTF'EED Filed March 22, 1957 April 28, 1959 ofKlLE ETAL 17 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS. v Y

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April 28, 1959 Filed latch 22, 1957 O. 4KILE ETAL SIGNATURE STACKER AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS OUTFEED I 17 Sheets-Sheet 4 A April 28, 1959 O. KILE ET AL 5 SIGNATURE STACKER AND TRAyISFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS OUTFEED Filed Maren 22, 1957 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 Otw BY ober GT 7302104/ o. KILE ETAL .April 2s, 1959 SIGNATURE sTAcKRR AND TRANSFER .DEVICE RoR PRINTING RRRss oUTFERD Filed Maron 22, 1957 17 Sheets-Sheet 6 April 28, 1959 OIKILE ET AL SIGNATURE sTAcKER AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS OUTFEED Filed March 22, 1957 17 Sheets-Sheet 7 1NvENToRs. Uun Kde); BY oer April 28, 1959 o. KIL ET AL 2,884,246

SIGNATURE sTAcRER AND TRANSFER DEVICE EoR PRINTING PRESS ouTFEED rFiIedNarQh 22, 195%/ A i 17 sheets-sheet s 1NVENT0R5.

April 28, 1959 o. KlLE I i-:rAL` 2,884,246

SIGNATURE STACKER AND TRA/NsFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS OUTFEED AFiled March 22, 1957 'I `17 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS.

April 28, 1959 o. KILE ET AL SIGNATURE sTAcKER AND' TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PEEss ouTFEED Filed March 22, 1957 i7 sheets-sheet 1o April 28, 1959 `o. KILE ET AL Filred March 22, 1957 17 Sheets-Sheet 11 i 110 I :2W 6 *Jl 1 J') A'prl 28, 1959 y o, KILE ET AL SIGNATURE STACKER AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS OUTF'EE'D Filed March 22, 1957 17 Sheets-Sheet 12 SIGNATURE STACRRR AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS OUTFEED Filed March 22, 1957 April 28, 1959 o. KILE ET Al.`

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' April 28, 1959 o. KILE ET AL SIGNATURE STACKER AN TRANSFER IDEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS OUTFEED 17 Sheets-Sheet *14 Filed March 22, 1957` INVENTORS. ihn fz'l April 28,-1959 I l o.Ku1 ET AL 2,884,246

SIGNATURE sITAcKRR AND TRANSFER DEVICE RoRv PRINTING PREss OUTRRED Filed March 22, 1957 IT sheets-sheet 15l IBY April 28, 1959 o. KlLE ET AL v 2,884,246

SIGNATURE sTAcxER AND 4'TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS oU'TEEEn I7 shams-sheet 1e Filed Maron 22, 1957 v "Q y 'INVENTORS v 5% v 0&5@ am l BYTROQTZ April 28, 1959 o. KILE ET AL I 2,884,246

SIGNATURE 4:STACKER AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRINTINGv PRESS OUTFEED Filed March 22, 1957 v 17 Sheets-Sheet 17 LO Kde qu Q7 .7" ZU m i United States Patent O SIGNATURE STACKER TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS OUTFEED Application March 22, 1957, Serial No. 648,477 27 Claims. (Cl. 271-.-88)

This invention relates to a signature stacker and transfer device for the outfeed of a printing press.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a compact and dependable device which is adapted to receive signatures coming from a printing press and continuously arrange them in lifts of convenient size for manual transportation from the stacker. i

A further object of the invention is to provide such a machine in which the signatures of each lift are jogged into registration as the lift is formed. i

A further object of the invention is to provide such a machine in which two carriages are mounted `for horizontal movement between a loading area and `an unloading area, and in which each transfer carriage is provided with a signature supporting platform which may move down as a lift of signatures is formed on it at the loading area, and which returns to an elevated position after the carriage is at the unloading position.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a machine in which the movement o f the carriages and the movement of the platforms on the carriages is entirely automatic, so that the two carriages may alternate between loading and unloading positions to continuously handle signatures fed to the machine.

Yet another object of the invention is to providesuch a machine in which signatures coming from a printing press in shingled relationship are first formed into a temporary pile at a signature-receiving station, and in which the temporary pile is then transferred from the receiving station to a platform in the loading area by a rocking stacker arm.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the entire drive for all components may be distributed from a single input shaft.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of such a machine;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale of the machine infeed and signature-receiving station;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken as indicated along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the signature-receiving station and the stacker arm;

Fig. 7 is a section taken as indicated along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken as indicated along the line 8..-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the stacker arm and jogger which is at the loading area;

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated along the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 1l is a fragmentary section on a reduced scale taken as indicated along the line 11-11 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated along the line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

2,884,246 Patented APL 2.8 1959 Eig.. 13 is a sido elevational of the two loading Platforms, with one platform in the loading area aad. tho other. platform at unloading position;

Fia- 14 is a fragmentary Section faken as indicated along the line 14-14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 14a is a fragmentary section taken as indicated along the line 14a-14a of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary elevational View of the machine, with all of the rear components eliminated for clarity of illustration;`

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated along the line 16K-.16 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a section taken as indicated along the line 1 7-17 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken as indicated along the line 18-18 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken as indicated along the line 1.9-19 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated along the line 20-20 of Fig. 19; Y

Fig. 21 is a diagrammatic, or schematic View of the device including particularly the transfer carriages and platforms and the direct driving mechanisms for the carriages and platforms;

Fig. 22 is a schematic illustration of the drive mechanism; and

Fig. 23 is an electric wiring circuits.

diagram of the control Machine generally Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and referring first to Figs. 1, 2, 21 and 22, the present machine consists generally of a frame A on which is a power distributing system B (Fig. 22). Driven in various ways from power system B are:

A signature infeed conveyor C which conveys signatures from a press outfeed to a delivery table in a signature-receiving station C1; movable elements in the signature-receiving station; a pair of transfer carriages D1 and D2 ywhich are mounted for horizontal reciprocation on the frame Al so that at any given time one carriage is in a loading area 25 adjacent the signature-receiving station while the other platform is in an unloading area 26 more remote from the signatureareceiving station; and the vertically reciprocable platforms on the carriages.

' Raising and @lowering of the carriage platforms is effected from system B through a cam actuated pulley system, indicated generally at E (Fig. 2l); while the reciprocation of the carriages C1 and C2 is accomplished by a reversing drive indicated generally at F in Fig. 21. Transfer of the signatures in small, temporary stacks from the receiving station B1 to the platform of a carriage in the loading area is accomplished by a stacker arm mechanism G which is also actuated and controlled from power system B; while the jogging of signatures on the platform into perfect register and the control of signatures in a stack is accomplished by a stack control and jogger mechanism Finally, the operation of the entire device is controlled by ysuitable electric circuitry including various switches actuated by movement of the carriages or the platforms during the normal operation of the machine. The electric control system is seen in Fig. 23, and is lin dicated by the letter I.

Machine frame A Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the machine frame A includes a base platform 27 which is seen in Fig. 2 to have at its left-hand end an upright infeed supporting frame work 28 on which one end of a forward infeed frame 29 is supported. Extending upwardly from the frame work l28 is a bridge frame 30 which carries some of the feed and feed control components by means of which signatures are formed into a temporary stack in the receiving station C1, which occupies the area beneath the bridge frame.

To the right of the receiving station C1 as seen in Fig. 2, is the loading area 25 which is anked on its two sides by a stack control side frame 31 and a jogger side frame 32 (see Fig. 1). Still further to the right in Fig. 2 is the unloading area 26, and between the loading area 25 and the unloading area 26 is a control bridge frame indicated generally at 33.

Power distributing system B The power distributing system B is shown schematically in Fig. 22 and various parts appear in Figs. 3 to 7. It includes a main drive shaft 34 which extends transversely of the machine between the infeed frame members 28, and has at one end a main input sprocket 35 over which is trained an input chain 35a by means of which the shaft 34 is driven from a sprocket 36, operation of which is controlled by standard solenoid clutch and brake units 36a and 36b (Fig. 3). Commonly a bank of sheet stackers are arranged in a line at the outfeed of a bank of printing presses, and a single longitudinal main power shaft P is provided from which all of the signature stacker mechanisms are selectively powered. A gear P1 on shaft P meshes with a gear 36e on the input side of clutch 36a. Where a single stacker is to be used the gear 36C may mesh directly with a drive gear on the shaft of an electric motor.

On the main drive shaft 34 adjacent the input sprocket 35 is a small infeed drive sprocket 37 carrying an infeed drive chain 37a for driving the infeed C through a sprocket 38 on an infeed drive shaft 38a which is journalled in the infeed frame 29. At the end of the main drive shaft 34 opposite the sprocket 35 is a power distributing gear 39 from which power passes through a pair of idler gears 40 and 41 to a stub shaft 42. A sprocket 43 on shaft 42 carries a receiving station cam control chain 44 for operating the receiving station components C1 through a sprocket 45 on a delivery table cam shaft 46 which is supported in the bridge frame 30. Chain 44 is tensioned by an idler sprocket 44a. (See Fig. 4).

Approximately at the center of the main drive shaft 34 is a bevel gear 47 which meshes with a bevel gear 48 on a longitudinal stub shaft 49 which also carries a cam control distributing gear 50. At one side of cam control distributing gear 50 is a longitudinal cam shaft 51 for the stack control cams; and cam shaft 51 is driven by a gear 51a meshing with gear 50.

Drive for platform operating mechanism E is through a longitudinal shaft 52 which is normally in operative engagement with a coaxial shaft 52a through a single tooth clutch 52b, shaft 52a in turn being driven from cam shaft 51 through intermeshing gears Sllb and 52C. From clutch shaft 52 power is transmitted through intermeshing gears 52d and 53a to a shaft 53, thence through a gear 53b to a gear reducer input gear 54a on input shaft 54b of a gear reducer 54. Raising and lowering of the platforms is accomplished by mechanism operated from a gear reducer output shaft 54C, as will be described hereinafter.

On the opposite side of the cam control distributing gear 50 is a jogger cam shaft drive gear 55 wthich is mounted on a cam shaft 56 to control the operation of the jogger mechanism H.

As previously stated, movement of the transfer carriages B1 and B2 is accomplished by the reversing drive F, and the input for the reversing drive F is from a gear 57 on the same stub shaft 42 which drives the receivingstation control cams. The accomplishment of the reversing drive from gear 57 will be described in detail in connection with the reversing mechanism F.

Operation of the stacker arm mechanism G is obtained in one aspect by means of a pair of conjugate cams mounted on the stub shaft 42, which will be described in more detail hereafter, while control of the gripping of temporary stacks of signatures by the stacker arm mech- 4 anism G is accomplished from a jaw control drive sprocket 58 on the main shaft 34 which acts through a jaw control chain 59 to drive a sprocket 60 on a jaw control cam shaft 61, about which the main sheet transfer arm of the stacker arm mechanism G is pivotal for its feeding movement.

Infeed mechanism C The infeed mechanism C of the present device is adapted to take signatures which are fed in shingled relationship by a sheet or signature feed device S (Fig. 2) which takes them away from the printing press outfeed, and includes a series of driven parallel feed tapes 62 which are wrapped nearly around drive pulleys 63 on the shaft 38a, around a tensioning pulley 64, and around receiving pulleys 65 on a receiving shaft 66. There are also suitable supporting rollers 67 which are mounted at intervals in the infeed frame 29.

Referring to Figs. 4 to 6 at the inner end of the infeed C and the entrance to Ithe signature-receiving station C1 the tapes 62 pass over feed pulleys 68, and the folded edges of the signatures on the tapes ride under a weighted creasing roller 69 which is mounted 011 an arm 70 journalled on a cross shaft 71 in the bridge frame 30 to crease the folds. After passing over pulleys 68 the tapes traverse pulleys 73 on a -shaft 74 at the entrance to the receiving station, thence around on pulleys 75 on a shaft 76 at the receiving station outfeed end and back to the drive pulleys 63.

At the entrance to the receiving station the signatures are centered between `tapering side guides 77 of a delivery table 78 which has spaced longitudinal plates 78a flanking the tapes 62, and which has bosses 79 at its rear end by means of which it is rockably supported on shaft 74. At its extreme inner end (the outfeed end of the receiving station) the delivery table 78 has three, spaced upstanding lips 80 against which the piled up signatures are arrested in the form of a temporary pile, ready to be picked up by the stacker arm mechanism G and placed upon the platform of carriage D1, which is in the loading area 25 as seen in the drawings.

To pile up the signatures entering the receiving station C1 are bearer rollers 81 which overlie tape pulleys 73 and are carried on ybifurcated arms 82 on -cross shaft 71. A cross bar which is journalled in side spurs of bridge frame 30 carries a rocking feed brake arm 86 which has a signature brake shoe 87 generally in line with bearer rollers 81 and overlying a brake anvil 87a on the delivery table 78. The bearer roller arms 82 are also provided with weight arms 88 carrying longitudinally movable weights 89 for adjusting the pressure of the bearer rollers 81.

Operation of lthe delivery table 78 and rocking feed stop arm 86 is controlled by means of two cams, nurnbered respectively 90 and 91, on shaft 46. For this purpose, delivery table 78 has an upstanding cam arm 92 with a follower roller 92a which rides on top of carn 90, while stop arm 86 has a follower roller 86a which is held in contact with the bottom of cam 91 by means of a follower spring 86b. Cams 90 and 91 are so phased that as the outfeed end of delivery table 78 drops, ybrake shoe 87 is lowered against anvil 87a to hold signatures which are not in Transfer carriages D] and D2 Icarriage D2 is mounted for rolling movement on a longitudinal' monoral '92 which is positioned on the left side of the base frame member 27, as viewed in Fig. 15. Rail 92 has a longitudinal central track groove 93, and an overhanging guide 94 which is opposed by a base portion 95; while the carriage D2 has a truck base 96 having rollers 97 received in the track groove 93, and also top and bottom guide rollers 98 and 99 which are positioned, respectively, below the overhang 94 and above the "base portion 95 of the monorail 92. A gib plate 100 and a removable rib 101 provide bearing surfaces for the stabilizing rollers 98 and 99, respectively, and prevent any substantial lateral instability of the transfer carriage D2.

.Extending upwardly from the truck base 96 of the transfer carriage D2 is an upright guide rail 102 which is seen in Fig. 16 to have vertical guide grooves 103, 104 and 105 in three of its sides to receive suitable guide rollers 106, 107, and 108 on a vertically reciprocable carriage 109 to which is secured a transfer platform 110. The transfer platform 110 is seen in Fig. 15 to be inclined to the left, which is away from the jogger elements of mechanism H, so that the jogging action performed upon a stack of sheets or signatures on the transfer platform 110 piles them up against the left hand side where they are held beneath the stack control portion of mechanism H; and the platform has recesses on its two longitudinal margins to facilitate moving a stack, or lift of signatures from the platform.

As best seen in Figs. 13 and 15, transfer carriage D2 has at the upper end of the vertical guide rail 102 a bracket 111 to receive the top pulleys of a compound pulley system indicated generally at 112, around which is trained a Supporting and elevating cable 113 for the carriage 109 and platform 110.

Platform elevating drive E Actuation of the compound pulley system 112 is by means of an operating cable 114, the path of which may best be seen in Fig. 21. Transfer carriage D2 must move fore and aft of `the machine along the track 92, so to use a cable system it is necessary to provide a com pensating linkage consisting of a carriage link 115 which ispivotally connected to the carriage truck 96 at 116, and a connecting link 117 which is pivoted to the link 115 at 118 and to the base frame member 27 at 119. The actuating cable 114 passes down around a pulley 120 which is coaxial with the pivot 116, up along the link 115 and around a pulley 121 which is coaxial with the pivot 118, thence downwardly along the link 117 and around a pulley 122 which is coaxial with the pivot 119. Thus the total distance between the pulleys 120 and 122, as traversed by the actuating cable 114, remains constant during movement of the transfer carriage D2. From the pulley 122 the actuating cable 114 passes around a pair of horizontally positioned pulleys 123 and 124, thence around a pulley 125 which is mounted on a pivoted, inclined bracket 126, and the cable is anchored at the lower end of a cam follower arm 127 which is pivoted on a cross shaft 128 mounted in bosses 129e of a bracket 129 which is between gear reducer 54 and gear 53b. 'Ihe follower arm 127 has a follower which is held against a cam 130 on the left-hand end of gear box output shaft 54e by lthe weight of platform 110. However, Awhen platform 110 is latched at the top of guideway 102, a tension spring 131, which connects pivoted bracket 126 withl an upright bracket'27a of base frame 27 (Figs. 14 and 17') keeps tension on the cable 114. v i' p Movement of the transfer carriage D2 is effected by means of a fixed'v actuating arm 132 which extends longitudinally from a bracket 133 on the carriage and has its free end secured to a drive chain 134` one end of which is trained around a horizontally disposed sprocket 135 the spindle 136 for which is mounted on the central up- 6 right bracket'27a. At its other end the drive chain 134 is trained around a sprocket 137 which is mounted on an upright clutch shaft 138 and is associated with the reversing drive F. Thus, movement of the chain 134 clockwise around sprocket as seen in Fig. 17 moves the transfer carriage D2 from the unloading station 26 to the loading station 25, while movement of the chain 134 in the opposite direction returns the carriage D2 from the loading station to the unloading station; and this reversing movement of the chain 134 is accomplished by the reversing drive which is taken 0H the gear 57 seen in Fig. 22.

The construction and operation of the transfer carriage D1 is precisely like that of the transfer carriage D2 heretofore described, except that the monorail track 92a upon which the carriage travels is on the opposite side of the base frame 25 facing in the opposite direction, and the carriage D1, correspondingly, is on the opposite side of the base frame 25 from the carriage D2 as seen in Fig. 14. Thus, there is no detailed description of all the components of the transfer carriage D1, but the components are numbered in the drawings with numerals identical with those of the transfer carriage D2 but with the suffix a appended -to each reference numeral.

Reference to Figs. 13, 17 and 21, in particular, shows clearly the function of the compensating links 115 and 117 of carriage D2 and 115e and 11711 of carriage D1, which permit the use of a pulley lift system for the platform 110 and 110e in conjunction with moving carriages on which the platforms are mounted.

As best seen in Figs. 13 and 21, the upright lguideway 102 of the transfer carriage D2 is provided at its upper end with a spring loaded latch 139 which is adapted to engage a portion of the platform elevating carriage 109 when the carriage reaches its most elevated position. The carriage D1 has a similar latch 139e. The latches 139 and 13911 are provided Iwith suitably angular forward camming faces which are adapted to contact actuating pins, numbered 140 and 140e, respectively, on the bridge frame 33, so that as each transfer carriage moves to- Ward the loading area 25 its platform is automatically disengaged by the latch which is holding it, to permit the platform to descend as it is loaded with temporary stacks of sheets or signatures taken from the receiving station C1.

Reversing drive F for carriages As previously stated, the reversing drive F for carriages D1 and D2 is powered by gear 57 on stub shaft 42, which operates to obtain reversing motion of the sprocket 137 for the carriage drive chain 134, and for the similar sprocket 137a yfor the carriage drive chain 134e for the carriage B1.

As best seen in Figs. 5, 7, 8, 19 and 20, the driving connection between gear 57 on shaft 42 and sprockets 137 and 137a is obtained by meshing with gear 57 a gear 141 on a shaft 142 which extends into a crank and gear segment box 143. Within the box 143 there is mounted on lthe crankshaft 142 a crank 144, and a gear segment 145 is pivotally mounted on a pin 146 in the wall of the gear segment box 143, so that the segment is opposite the end of shaft 142. The -gear segment 145 is provided with a slot 147 to receive a crank slider 148 which is actuated by means of a crank pin 149 on crank 144, so that rotation of crankshaft 142 produces a reciprocating action of the gear segment 145.

A miter gear. shaft 150 which extends transversely through the box 143 and projects both ways therefrom has a pinion 150e in mesh with gear segment 145, so the shaft 150 is rotated alternately rst' in one direction and then in the other direction. As seen in Fig. 7, miter gear shaft 150 has at one end a miter gear 151 and at the other end a miter gear v151e which provide the drives, respectively, for the sprockets 137 and 137e. Meshing with miter `gears 151 and 151a, respectively, are 

